Increased dependence on imported crude oils, and the rising costs of producing fuels from those oils, has prompted the automotive industry to seek alternative fuel sources for internal combustion engines. One such source is alcohol-based fuels, including ethanol-based fuels. The United States government has offered incentives to automotive manufacturers to produce vehicles capable of operating on ethanol-based fuels, such as E85 fuel, which comprises a blend of about 85% ethanol and about 15% gasoline by volume. However, it has been observed that engines burning ethanol-based fuels, such as fuels containing from about 10 to about 100 percent ethanol, display a significant increase in the wear of engine parts, such as cylinders, rings, and valve train components, relative to engines operated using gasoline. Thus, it would be advantageous to have an engine lubricant that provides improved wear protection to engines operated using ethanol-based fuels.
A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a lubricant composition suitable for lubricating an engine. The lubricant composition includes a base oil and an overbased calcium detergent in an amount effective to reduce engine wear in an engine operated using an ethanol-based fuel.
In another aspect of the present disclosure an additive concentrate for a lubricant is provided. The additive concentrate may include an overbased calcium detergent in an amount effective to reduce engine wear in an engine operated using an ethanol-based fuel when the additive composition is formulated into a lubricant and the engine is lubricated by the lubricant during operation.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of reducing engine wear in an engine operated using an ethanol-based fuel. The method includes contacting at least a portion of the engine with a lubricant composition. The lubricant composition may include a base oil and an overbased calcium detergent in an amount effective to reduce engine wear in the engine. The method may further include operating the engine using ethanol-based fuel.
Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of formulating a wear-reducing lubricant composition suitable for lubricating an engine operated using ethanol-based fuel. The method includes adding to a lubricating oil an amount of overbased calcium detergent such that the overbased calcium detergent in the lubricant composition is about 1.5 times greater than an amount of overbased calcium detergent initially in the lubricating oil.
One of the advantages of the present disclosure is that the use of lubricants as described herein may extend engine life and efficiency in an engine operated using ethanol-based fuel. Another advantage of the present disclosure may provide the vehicle operator the ability to extend the time between oil changes.
Additional objects and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and/or can be learned by practice of the disclosure. The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure, as claimed.